No one is making dude play football. If it's too much, don't do it. When you sign up to be an athlete, you are giving up the normal student life. It's a trade off that everyone recognizes.

As for 'Bama, long ago anyone who got a high school diploma in the state was automatically accepted to the University. Not sure if that is still true. But, if that's how they want to run their university, it should be up to the folks in Alabama.